HERD UPDATE 06.07.2020

General detail

• The breeding season has finished on Newford Farm for 2020
  • Breeding started on the 27^th of April
  • All cows were AI’d for 10 weeks and AI’d finished on the 6^th July
  • 93 cows was selected for breeding at the start of the season and all 93 cows cycle and were AI’d
  • 94 % of the herd were inseminated in the first three weeks of breeding.
  • 100 % of the herd were inseminated by the 9^th of June
  • The 2 teaser bulls will be housed together where they will receive concentrates in the coming before been finished off farm.
  • 73 cows scanned on Monday, these cows where 40 days+ since insemination 72 where scanned in calf the remaining cows will be scanned in early August.
  • All the suckler cows and calves were weighted on the 1^st July for the BEEP scheme
• All the cows were weighted and body condition score during the week.
  • The average weight for the suckler herd was 584 Kg
  • The average body score for the herd was 2.70
  •  Summary as follows:

• Newford Farm had a clear TB herd test last week.
• All the cows have been treated for their annual  in-active IBR vaccination
• All the calves were weighted on the 1^st of July and were treated for worms
  • Due to favourable weather conditions , all calves have been thriving well and underpinning high levels of grass utilisation
  • The bull calves will be castrated this week by the Vet  

Summary of weights as follows:

• All the Beef animals (Bullocks + Heifers) have been treated for worms.
  • The 46 bullocks  were weighted on the 2^nd of July  
  • The top 12 bullocks average weighted was 600 Kgs. They range from 692 Kg to 560 Kg
  • Summary of the 46 bullocks weight as follows:

Grass performance

• Soil temperature on Newford Farm on Monday the 6th of July was 15.1 ° degrees at 10cm soil depth.
• The soil moisture deficit around Newford (Athenry) at the moment is 2 mm.
• Grass growth has improved on the home farm (52 Kg DM/Ha) but in recent days paddocks have began to get sticky with heavy down pour of rainfalls.
• Grass on the home farm has started to get tight due to the high stocking rate which the home farm carry’s (4.5 LU / Ha).
•  45 cows scanned in calf and calves where moved to Cones farm which was mowed for silage on the 10^th of June. This will reduce the demand in Newford.
  • Cones farm was reseeded last year and this farm will benefit the calves ADG for the rest of the season.
  • A portion of the home farm will be closed for second cut silage , when the cows and calves are move out
• A half bag of protected urea (38N + 7% S) per acre is being spread after each grazing at the moment.

     Key recommendations for this week

1. Monitor grass growth closely
2. Prepare Cones farm for stock moving in
3. Watch bull calves after castration
4. Keep mineral buckets out in paddocks with the cows
5. Check all bale silage for any holes and patch if necessary
6. Tighten silage pit cover 
7. Draw up the 2020/2021 fodder budget